There are prior art laparoscopes that contain light tubes or optical fibers, which are assembled on the laparoscope and which project light from an annulus about an object lens at the end of the laparoscope. The user can look through the sight tube of the laparoscope to inspect parts inside a body cavity illuminated by the light issuing from the laparoscope. A disadvantage is that the light source does not illuminate the entire cavity but rather only the area viewed by the sight tube of the laparoscope. Separate handheld light sources may be used together with the laparoscope in an effort to illuminate a larger area, but this has the disadvantage of requiring another person to hold the light source, or even worse, the surgeon must hold the light source in one hand and the surgical tool in the other hand, which impedes the ability of the surgeon to carry out the surgical procedure.